School Closures to Occur for 2022-2023 School Year
WOODBURY, TN: The Cannon County Board of Education voted 5-0 at its regular meeting on Thu., Jan. 13, 2022, to approve and go forward with the, “Modernization and Restructuring of Cannon County Schools – Submission of 5-Year Plan – Cannon County Schools – Goal 4 – Develop and Implement a long-range facilities plan that provides opportunities and resources for ALL students, facilities, and staff.”
This five year plan includes the following timeline:
Timeline Summary:
August 2022
Closing Auburn, East Side, and Short Mountain schools.
Cannon County Elementary School (formerly Woodbury Grammar) pre-kindergarten through fifth grade and Life Skills and Cannon County Middle School (all sixth through eighth graders in the county will be moved to CCMS, located at the former Woodbury Grammar School for a temporary middle school until construction of the permanent Cannon County Middle School) with an estimated capacity of 658 students.
Cannon County South Elementary School (formerly Woodland Elementary School) pre-kindergarten through fifth grade with an estimated capacity of 390 students.
Cannon County North Elementary School (formerly West Side Elementary School) pre-kindergarten through fifth grade with an estimated capacity of 325 students.
School Year 2023-2024
Cannon County Elementary School (formerly Woodbury Grammar School) classroom expansion complete.
School Years 2024-2025 and 2025-2026
Build Cannon County Middle School with an auxiliary gym.
Remodel old gym with an alternative school in the basement.
Cannon County Middle School opens with the newly expanded Cannon County Elementary School (formerly Woodbury Grammar School) housing all pre-kindergarten through fifth grade students.
Closure of Cannon County South (formerly Woodland Elementary School) and Cannon County North (formerly West Side Elementary School).
Cannon County Director of Schools, William Freddy Curtis said, “The Cannon County Board of Education has taken a historic and substantial step for modernization and restructuring the entire school system. Steps of this significance have not occurred in Cannon County since the early 1960’s. Understandably, there is sadness at the closing of schools that have been in operation since the 1950’s and early 1960’s. There will be endeavors to preserve the history of these schools and their significance to the education of thousands of students in Cannon County. The implementation of this plan will be intense in the up-coming weeks and months and will involve great change and hard work on all staff in Cannon County Schools. This is the first step in a series of many steps on a journey that will impact succeeding generations of students in Cannon County. The Cannon County Board of Education and Cannon County Schools are committed to its vision: ‘To actively engage in excellence every day in every way!’ and mission: ‘To create a unified environment that will provide opportunities for all students to succeed and reach their full potential.’ Change is never easy. And this process will not be easy, and much hard work will have to take place in the upcoming months for all our faculties and staffs. However, as we all look at the future of education in Cannon County, there is hope and encouragement for the betterment of Cannon County Schools and the futures of our most precious asset, the children of Cannon County.”
Cannon County Board of Education Chairman, Jennifer Duggin, said, “Embrace uncertainty. Some of the most beautiful chapters in our life do not have titles until much later. Today, the unity begins. In August, students, teachers, and faculty will be brought together for the first time in our history. Unity will start to transform our system for the better.”
For local media inquiries, please contact William Freddy Curtis, Director of Cannon County Schools, at (629) 201-4801, ext. 10101 or at williamf.curtis@ccstn.net for local Cannon County Schools information.